Hans up for Pat

Hans Andersen, Belle Vue’s new skipper, is backing his young Danish team-mate, Patrick Hougaard to hit the speedway heights. Andersen is captain of Team Denmark’s World Cup side, winning the trophy twice, while Hougaard leads their Under-21 team.

Hans Andersen, Belle Vue’s new skipper, is backing his young Danish team-mate, Patrick Hougaard to hit the speedway heights.

Andersen is captain of Team Denmark’s World Cup side, winning the trophy twice, while Hougaard leads their Under-21 team.

Hougaard is still only 20 and will be seeking World Under-21 individual and team honours after making the rostrum in both finals last year.

He will be starting only his second full season with the Autogate Aces when they open their Elite League campaign with a home match against Coventry at the Kirkmanshulme Lane greyhound stadium on March 29.

The lanky youngster is looking forward to riding alongside his national captain and Grand Prix star while Andersen, in turn, is keen to watch Hougaard from close quarters and give him the benefit of his experience.

Andersen said: "There are a lot of good young riders coming through in Denmark and Patrick has made big strides. I think he is the top young Danish rider at the moment.

"He did well at Belle Vue last season because, whatever your position in a team, it is not easy to do well when your side is struggling.

"There was a lot of pressure on him to perform last year, especially in view of his lack of experience, and he coped with it very well."

The Aces are hoping their reinforced cutting edge of Andersen and top Swede Peter Karlsson will reduce the pressure on Hougaard this time around.

Andersen added: "Peter and myself have ridden together for many years, especially in Sweden, and I am sure we can do a lot of damage to opposing teams.

"We have raced as a pairing so we know each other’s styles very well. It will be great for both of us to have an experienced rider we know riding alongside in the big races against the top guys in the other team.

"But I don’t want anyone thinking this Belle Vue team is all about PK and myself at the top end because it certainly isn’t.

"I am a rider who needs to be racing in successful teams to produce my best and I wouldn’t have come to Belle Vue if I hadn’t thought they would have a very competitive team.

"The rest of the boys in the line-up are very good and I am impressed with the team that has been put together.

"It looks strong all the way through from No 1 to No 7 and team effort is what speedway is all about. This is a well balanced side and I can’t see why we cannot do something big.

"Obviously I know PK very well but I also know what my fellow Danish riders, Charlie Gjedde and Hougaard can do.

"It is just such a shame that Gjedde picked up a knee injury when he crashed in a Team Denmark practice session at Stoke last Saturday. Hopefully, he will be okay for the first match against Coventry.

"Charlie has been really unlucky over the last couple of years and this injury was a real blow because he’s been out since last July with a shoulder problem.

"He will start the season with a five-point average and there is no doubt that he is capable of a much higher figure than that.

"I know he has worked so hard throughout the winter to get everything right and now he has been hit by another injury problem.

"Charlie will be really hungry when he comes back and I am sure he can put a lot on his average which will be great for Belle Vue."

The Aces open their season this Thursday with the War of the Roses challenge match at Sheffield (7 45).

They will be without Andersen, who had a prior booking to ride in the Bob Kilby Memorial meeting at Swindon, but new signings Karlsson, Leigh Lanham and William Lawson will make their debuts.

The 19-year-old Wolverhampton captain, a former Sheffield rider who will ride in this year’s World championship Grand Prix, has been given permission by his club to ride for the Autogate Aces in place of their injured Danish rider, Charlie Gjedde.

Aces’ team manager Chris Morton said: "Sheffield didn’t want us to use rider replacement for Charlie. We asked Tai if he wanted to guest for us and Sheffield reluctantly agreed to let him him ride."